Creating content basics

How long will Horus allow me to stay signed in if I'm inactive?

Horus will sign you out after 2 hours of inactivity. You will receive a warning before this happens and you will be given the option to stay signed in if you have been active for less than 2 hours. However, if you return to your device after 2 hours of inactivity, you will not be able to stay signed in or save any work you have not already saved. This is a security feature and helps to ensure that other users cannot access your account. Remember to save your work and sign out before you leave your device.

How do I request for a form to be signed in Horus?

A foundation doctor requests for a form to be signed in Horus by creating a new form and assigning a trainer or assessor. Some users may refer to this process as "sending a ticket".

2. Near the top of the page, under the "At the beginning of each placement", select the relevant form

3. "Date of meeting": Record the date that you had the meeting using the calendar pop-out that appears(The date you completed the form will be recorded separately and automatically by Horus)

4. "Name of foundation doctor": (see the short video showing how to do this)

Start typing the name of the foundation doctor with whom you had the meeting(the first three or four letters of their first name or last name will be enough)

Wait for Horus to search your list of supervised foundation doctor - any names that match what you have typed will appear in a drop-down of search results

Select the relevant foundation doctor's name from the list

If you don't see the relevant foundation doctor's name in the list, first check that you have been assigned to them as a supervisor. You can do this by going to the "Supervising" main menu. * If they appear in this list, you have been assigned --> make sure that you are typing their name in step 4 above exactly as it appears in this list. * If they do not appear in this list, you have not been assigned --> ask your local e-portfolio/postgraduate centre administrator to update this (pdf user guide for administrators available)

5. "Placement": One or more options will become available once you have completed step 4. Select the placement for which you have held your initial/induction meeting (this may not be the current placement).If you are completing this form at the end of a placement for the upcoming placement, you will see both placements - check that you are selecting the correct placement.Learn more about how long before/after a placement you can create a form for that placement.

6. Answer the questions in the rest of the form as appropriate

7. Select "Save (and review before submission)

8. Review your form (if there is something you want to change, select "Make further changes" in the purple information bar) and when you're ready select "Mark as complete".

9. The form will now be available for the foundation doctor to view and sign.

Only foundation doctors / NTG doctors are able to create PDP forms in Horus. Supervisors and administrators are able to see PDP forms in foundation doctor / NTG doctor portfolios but they are not able to create them.

To create a PDP form:

1. Select the “Portfolio” main menu item and select “PDP” in the sub-menu.(Alternatively, select the "Forms (start new)" main menu item and select "PDP" in the 'At the beginning of each placement' section.)

2. Any PDPs previously created will be shown here. Select “Start new form” to start a new PDP.

3. Work through the form by typing in the text fields.

4. When you have completed the form select “Save changes”.

5. If all mandatory field have been completed, a screen like this will be displayed:- a green confirmation box at the top shows your changes have been saved- a purple box part-way down shows that the form can still be edited and has not been marked as "Achieved".

If required, select "Make further changes" to edit the contents of your PDP (and then repeat steps 3-5).

6. Select "Close" in the top right hand corner to return to the “PDP” screen. The new PDP will be shown.

7. Once you have completed the items in your PDP (for example, 3 months later):- select "Open" next to the relevant PDP form- select "Make further changes"- complete the final question in the form("Evaluation and outcome (show how you have achieved your objectives)")- select "Save changes"- select "Mark as achieved".

Once you have marked the PDP as "Achieved" you will not be able to make any further changes in the form.

8. When you return to the main PDP screen the PDP will be marked as achieved.

Only foundation doctors / NTG doctors are able to create reflection forms in Horus. Supervisors and administrators are able to see shared reflection forms in foundation doctor / NTG doctor portfolios but they are not able to create them.

To create a reflection form:

1. Select the “Portfolio” main menu item and select “Reflection” in the sub-menu.(Alternatively, select the "Forms (start new)" main menu item and select "Reflection" in the 'Throughout each placement' section.)

2. Any reflections previously created will be shown here. Select “Start new form” to start a new reflection.

3. Work through the form by selecting the date / curriculum sections / typing in the text fields.

4. In order for a supervisor to see your reflection, you must share it by selecting "Shared" for the last question in the form.- Shared reflections cannot be made private again. However, reflections can always be edited.- You do not have to share your reflection straight away - you can keep it private until you are ready to share it.

5. When you have completed the form select “Save changes”.

6. If all mandatory field have been completed, and you have chosen to keep your reflection private, a screen like this will be displayed:- a green confirmation box at the top shows your changes have been saved- a purple box part-way down shows that the form can still be edited and has not been shared.

7. Select "Make further changes" to edit the contents of your reflection (or to share it if it is currently private).

8. Select "Close" in the top right hand corner to return to the “Reflections” screen. The new reflection and whether it is shared will be shown.

No - PDP and reflection forms are linked to a foundation doctor's whole FY1 or FY2 rotation. They can be completed at any time during the rotation and can relate to any placements or events within or out with the rotation.

To make counting of these forms easier, we report on the number of PDP and reflection forms in each foundation doctor's portfolio "Overview" based on

PDP: the nearest placement to the date the form was created

Reflection: the 'Start date of placement against which you want this form to count:' entered.

This is just to help quick checks and calculations - it does not definitively show whether a foundation doctor has/has not completed a PDP or reflection form for a specific placement.

Most of these forms will be created by the foundation doctor.(Local trainers and administrators can also create these forms for foundation doctors, but they will automatically be assigned to that form as trainer/assessor.)

To assign a trainer/assessor to one of the above forms, the foundation doctor needs to take the following steps:

1. Forms (start new) > select the relevant form CBD, DOPS and Mini-CEX are in the "Mandatory forms for each placement > Throughout each placement" sectionCPs and DCT are in the "Mandatory forms for each year" section

5. You will now see with which email address the trainer/assessor is registered on Horus. If they have asked you to send the form to a different email address, you can add this by following the instructions in the sentence below their primary email address: "If you wish to send this form to a different address, please click here".

6. Select "Save (and review before submission)"

7. Select "Send form for approval"An email will be sent to your selected trainer/assessor and the form will no longer be editable by you.

To increase the likelihood of SLE/CPs being signed quickly and easily for foundation doctors, Horus allows them to enter a different email email address for the user. This should not be used as a matter of course - it is for exceptional circumstances, such as

The trainer may be registered on Horus with their official trust email address, but they may not have access to this temporarily (for example they're off-site or their inbox is full).

The trainer could ask the foundation doctor to send it to another of their email addresses, one that at that point they can access more readily.

The trainer's email address may be wrong or out of date on Horus.

Using the alternative email address function allows the foundation doctor to get their SLE/CP signed without needing to wait for the administrative process of updating the registered email address.

However, in this case the administrative process must follow - the trainer can update their own email address or the foundation doctor/trainer can contact a local e-portfolio administrator.

When a different email address is used, the following audit log is created:

The trainer receives an information email to their registered email address

Subject: Horus: Signature request (alternative email used)

Detail: registered email address, foundation doctor, type of form, alternative email address, guidance for what to do if this is incorrect

The trainer receives a signature link to the alternative email address

Once signed, the trainer receives a signature confirmation email to their registered email address

The completed form shows "[Alternative email]" under the signatory's email address

As a foundation doctor, do I have to complete all the fields in an SLE/CP before sending it to a trainer/assessor to approve?

No - you can complete some, none or all of the form before you send it to a trainer/assessor to approve (you just have to confirm which placement/rotation you want the form to be listed against).

You should try to complete as much of the form as you reasonably can though, so your trainer/assessor knows exactly which event you would like their written feedback on and what your thoughts about your experience are.

Your trainer/assessor will have access to edit the whole form before they approve it, so you're essentially writing a draft for them view, edit and approve as they see fit.

The method or methods chosen should be dependent on the situation and foundation doctors should discuss their plans with their supervisors. Note the requirements for the number of written reflections in your e-portfolio for a successful ARCP outcome.

The simple answer is, a foundation doctor does not have to include their reflection on the event within the SLE form itself, if this is appropriate for that specific situation. From a technical perspective, the SLE form can be saved and signed without the "Reflection" box being completed.

If you have submitted your SLE form for signature but have forgotten to include a reflection within it, two options are to delete the SLE or to revert the form to draft. These will not be appropriate/possible in all situations. Other options are summarised in the bullet points above.

I am a trainer or assessor who signs SLEs/CPs for foundation doctors. Do I have to sign in to Horus?

No, trainers/assessors who have been asked by a foundation doctor to sign a supervised learning event (SLE) or core procedure (CP) for a foundation doctor do not need to sign in to Horus to do this. You do need to have a Horus account, but this can quickly be created by either a foundation doctor or an administrator. Following this, foundation doctors will be able to add you as trainer/assessor to the relevant form.

You will receive an email giving you details of the foundation doctor and the SLE/CP they would like you to sign, and a link to follow. You will not be asked for login details to complete the form. However, any forms you do complete will be available in your Horus account, which you can access if you need to or want to.

How long before/after a placement can I create/edit/delete/move a form for that placement?

You can create/edit/delete/move a form up to 1 month before the start of a placement and up to 3 months after the end of a placement. (1 month is counted as from x date in month 1 to x date in month 2, e.g. 4 February to 4 March)

This includes the following forms/processes:- SLEs (except DCT)- QI- Additional achievement forms- ES/CS/AS start, mid and end of placement forms- Mandatory certificates

The same is true for forms/processes linked to a whole rotation - you can create/edit/delete/move these up to 1 month before the start of the rotation and up to 3 months after the end of the rotation.

This includes the following forms/processes:- Reflection- Career planning- PDP- PDP progress- DCT- Core procedures- Mandatory certificates- Form R- TAB- ES mid and end of year forms- ARCP

If a form a foundation doctor has sent to an approver is not approved within this time limit, it will no longer be accessible to be approved. It will remain in the foundation doctor's account as a form "requiring an additional signature". Forms that require a signature (such as SLEs and Core Procedures) will not count towards ARCP if they are not approved (that is, signed).

The time limit is not linked to when the form/process was started/completed - it is linked to when the placement or rotation it is linked to starts/ends.

For further information about why this time limit is in Horus, see page 102 of the FP Reference Guide (2017) (link will open in a new window and send you to the UKFPO's website) - "Appendix 9e: Table 1 - Recommended levels of access".

As a CS/ES what do I do if I miss the 3 month deadline to complete my end of placement report?

The 3 month deadline for completing forms has been mandated by the UKFPO. The UKFPO and its operational partner, the UK Curriculum Delivery Group (CDG), have stressed the importance of timely assessments - a clinical supervisor's end of placement report completed more than 3 months after the end of the placement in question, for example, starts to lose its impact on and meaning for the foundation doctor. It is a requirement for both the foundation doctor and their educational and clinical supervisors to adhere to this time limit.

Therefore, supervisors will find that when they create a form in Horus only the following placements will be available to link the form to:

Any placement that ended less than 3 months ago

The current placement

Any placement starting in less than 1 month--> This could mean that only one placement shows - for example at the very start of the rotation.

The CDG is clear that the 3 month limit must be adhered to. Note that if the CS is not available to complete a timely end of placement report, the ES is responsible for completing the CS end of placement report (as well as the ES end of placement report).

If the deadline has been missed, you should discuss the situation with your FTPD and/or local HEE foundation team. "Blank" versions of all the forms in Horus can be found in the Blank Forms section of this website. It may be appropriate to complete one of these and submit it to the ARCP panel alongside the information in the e-portfolio. Please note that the Horus team cannot offer guidance on whether this is appropriate in your situation or how the submission should be made.

All forms completed within Horus have a created date of 2 August 2017 or later, except forms that comply with the standard "time limit" rules (up to 1 month before the start of a rotation/placement and up to 3 months after the end of a rotation/placement).--> In effect, the first possible 'content' creation date in Horus is 2 July 2017.

Forms in draft

Can I save a form in draft?

Yes, you can save most forms as a draft in Horus. At the end of the form you will always see two buttons: "Save (and review before submission)" and "Save (and leave as draft)".

The only exceptions are PDP and Reflection forms. These can be edited as if they were drafts, though. You will see all PDP and Reflection forms that have been started/completed on the relevant foundation doctor's portfolio "PDP" or "Reflection" page.

Can anyone else see forms that I've saved as a draft?

No, the contents of any forms that you save as a draft will only be visible to you.

The existence of some forms saved as draft, like end of placements reports, can be seen in administrator 'form count' reports.

Where do I see forms that I've saved as a draft?

You can see a list of all the forms that you've saved as a draft on your Home page, in the "Forms in draft" column on the left hand side.

As a foundation doctor, how can I change the trainer/assessor on a form I have submitted for approval?

The assigned trainer/assessor can only be changed on forms that have not yet been signed. Signed forms cannot be amended.

To change the trainer/assessor on a form already submitted for approval:

Find and select the form on your “Contents” portfolio page.

In the second purple bar, below your personal details, select the “Reset trainer/assessor” button on the right. --> Once you make this selection the original approval request link will no longer work.

You will see a green bar confirming "Trainer/assessor removed. Please nominate a new trainer/assessor." Just below that will be a purple bar with a link to “Nominate new signatory” - select this link.

Nominate a new person to sign the form. --> As when you originally selected a trainer/assessor, type the first few letters of their first/last name OR the first few digits of their GMC number (if applicable). You can use an alternative email address if required. Refer to this short video demo to see this in action.

Once you have selected a signatory, select the ‘Nominate new signatory’ button.

You will see see a green bar confirming "Thanks, your new signatory has been added." An automatic email will have been sent to the new trainer/assessor, with a link to sign the form.

When a Supervised Learning Event (SLE) or Core Procedure (CP) form is awaiting a signature, you are able to delete the form by selecting “Reset trainer/assessor”. (You may want to do this in case the person who supervised / assessed you is no longer available to complete the form for you, for example.)

1. Open the relevant SLE/CP from your portfolio "Contents" menu

2. Select the “Reset trainer/assessor” button

3. You will see a green bar with a message notifying you the original trainer/assessor has been removed and a purple bar with a link allowing you to assign a new trainer/assessor.

4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select the “Delete form” button.

5. Read the pop up carefully and if you are sure you wish to delete the form, select “Delete this form now” to confirm deletion.

6. You will now be notified the form has been deleted and it will disappear from your portfolio.

Anyone who completes SLEs or Core Procedures for foundation doctors in England needs to have a Horus account. They do not need to access their account to complete the form though, as long as the foundation doctor creates the form. The form can be completed using the automatic email that will be sent when the foundation doctor sends the forms for approval.

Yes, F2s can sign Core Procedures (CPs) for F1s, provided they meet the requirements for assessing the relevant procedure (that is, competent in the procedure being assessed and trained in assessment and feedback methodology).

Does Horus send reminders to users to sign forms they have been assigned to?

Yes, Horus sends three automatic email reminders to users who have not signed forms they have been assigned to. The schedule is:

Immediate email notification when the form is first submitted for signing

7 days after original submission

14 days after original submission

21 days after original submission

The link in each email expires after 7 days (when a replacement will be sent). Only the most recent will work.

No further reminder emails will be sent after this time period. Users who want to sign a form after the reminder period can still log in to their Horus account and sign it from the "Forms requiring your signature" list on their home page (provided the placement / rotation the form is assigned to is still active or finished less than 3 months ago).

Foundation doctors can send manual reminders to trainers/assessors who have not signed SLE/assessment forms they have been assigned to.

Can I send a reminder to a trainer/assessor to sign an SLE/assessment?

Yes, you can send a reminder from Horus to a trainer/assessor who has not signed an SLE/assessment for you yet. Note:

- Horus sends automatic reminders. You can only send a manual reminder once every 24 hours (either since the last automatic reminder or since your last manual reminder).

- Only the form completion link in the most recent reminder email will work. If your trainer/assessor selects a link in an old email, they will see a message explaining that the link has expired.

- Only foundation doctors can send manual reminders.

To send a reminder:

1. Portfolio > Contents

2. Select the relevant unsigned form

3. Select "Send Reminder Email" near the top of the form (remember, this button will only be available if it's been more than 24 hours since the last reminder email was sent)

You can sign a form EITHER using the email notification you received OR by logging in to your Horus account.

Email

1. Select the "Go to the form" link in the notification email

Horus login

1. The form will show on your home page, in the "To sign" tab on the left. Select "Open" next to the relevant form.

Both routes - continued

2. Either way, you will now be shown the basic form details (name, GMC number and placement details of the foundation doctor and the details they have entered for their trainer/assessor) and asked to confirm whether you are the named trainer/assessor:

3. Check that your name is correct and then select "Yes". If you are not the named trainer, select "No" and explain the issue in the free text box that appears (further details available here).

4. You will now be able to view the whole form - scroll down, read what the foundation doctor has written and decide whether you would like to add / amend anything before signing the form. You will most likely need to add information to the form - foundation doctors have been asked to complete as much of the form as they can, but some sections require your direct input. You will not be able to sign the form until all the mandatory fields have been completed.

5. To add / amend anything in the form, select "Make further changes" in the purple bar just above the form. This will open up the form for you to complete.

6. Select "Save (and review before submission)" at the end once you have completed the form.

7. You will then be taken back to the questions described in steps 2 and 3 above. Select "Yes" for question 1, "Yes" for question 2 and "Sign this form" for question 3.

8. You will see a screen confirming the form has been signed.

How do I decline to sign an SLE/Core Procedure for a foundation doctor?

Trainers and assessors always have the option to decline to sign an SLE/Core Procedure for a foundation doctor.You may not remember the interaction, you may not be the intended recipient or you may feel that you are not the appropriate person to sign the form.

Whatever the reason, it's very helpful to the foundation doctor if you decline to sign the form (instead of not responding to it at all), so that they can re-send it to the correct/a more suitable trainer/assessor.

You can decline to sign a form EITHER using the email notification you received OR by logging in to your Horus account.

Email

1. Select the "Go to the form" link in the notification email

Horus login

1. The form will show on your home page, in the "To sign" tab on the left. Select "Open" next to the relevant form.

Both routes - continued

2. Either way, you will now be shown the basic form details (name, GMC number and placement details of the foundation doctor and the details they have entered for their trainer/assessor) and asked to confirm whether you are the named trainer/assessor:

3a. If you are not the named trainer, select "No" and explain the issue in the free text box that appears (for example, "You have the wrong John Smith").

Then select "Remove my name from this form".

You don't need to do anything further.

3b. If you are the named trainer, select "Yes" instead. You will now be able to view the whole form (scroll down).

You will be asked whether you are happy to sign the form. If you don't want to sign the form (for example, because you don't remember the interaction described in the form), select "No" and explain the issue in the free text box that appears (for example, "I don't remember having this interaction with you"). Note that you can edit the contents of the form, so don't use this option if you do remember the interaction and just want to update some of the information provided by the foundation doctor.

Then select "Reject signature request".

You don't need to do anything further.

Managing completed forms

Where are completed forms in a foundation doctor's portfolio?

In the foundation doctor's portfolio menu (top menu if you are a foundation doctor, right hand drop-down sub-menu if you are a supervisor or administrator), select "Contents".

FD:

Admin/trainer:

All forms completed for the foundation doctor will be listed here, as well submitted forms awaiting either approval by a trainer/assessor or signature by the foundation doctor. Some forms are listed against the whole rotation (for example, reflections, core procedure and the educational supervisor's end of year report) and some against specific placements (for example, SLEs, additional achievements and clinical supervisors' end of placement reports).

How do I check if a submitted form has been signed?

Foundation doctors will receive an email notification when a form they have sent for approval (that is, an SLE or CP) has been signed by their selected trainer or assessor.

Submitted forms that have not yet been signed show in the portfolio "Contents" list with a yellow triangle next to them. If you hover over the triangle you will see the description "this form requires an additional signature".

As a supervisor, trainer or assessor, can I see the forms I have signed for foundation doctors?

Yes, there is a ‘My Activity’ section in the 'Trainer menu', where all trainers can see forms they've signed for foundation doctors.

Supervisors are also able to view forms that they and others have signed for their foundation doctors on the relevant doctor’s portfolio ‘Contents’ page.

Can I revert a submitted form to draft?

Any form that has been submitted on Horus can only be reverted to draft by an administrator who has access to the portfolio of the foundation for/by whom the form has been completed. This is to ensure there is an audit trail and verification before a form is deleted.

Access the "Contents" portfolio menu of the relevant foundation doctor

Select the form that needs to be reverted to draft from the list

Scroll to the bottom of the form - there will be 3 options:

Revert to draft (admin only)

Change placement (admin only)

How to delete a form

Select "Revert to draft"

You will see the following pop up - please note it:

Select "Revert to Draft" - the form will then only be accessible to the original creator. There is no possibility to undo this action.

How do I delete a form?

Any form that has been submitted on Horus (except TAB and Reflection forms) can only be deleted by the user who originally created the form. Follow the steps below to delete a form you created:

A reflection form marked as "shared" cannot be deleted (or made private again). It can, however, be edited indefinitely. This is functionality requested by the CDG.

How do I ‘move’ a form between placements/rotations?

Administrators can amend the placement/rotation that a form has been listed against by following the steps below:(NOTE: Placement-based forms can only be moved between placements belonging to the same rotation. Rotation-based forms can be moved between any rotation assigned to the foundation doctor. See the list of forms that are placement- and rotation-based.)

Access the "Contents" portfolio menu of the relevant foundation doctor

Select the form that needs to be amended from the list

Scroll to the bottom of the form - there will be 3 options:

Revert to draft (admin only)

Change placement (admin only)

How to delete a form

Select "Change placement"

You will see a list of placements assigned to the foundation doctor. Select "Move here" next to the placement you want to move the form to. The move will happen as soon as you select this option.

A form can be moved as many times as required.

Note that placement-based forms cannot be moved to a different rotation.

Can I download my whole portfolio from Horus?

Yes - foundation/NTG doctors can download their whole portfolio using the "Download portfolio" function in their "Portfolio" main menu:

November 2018: The following items are not/not yet available as part of this download: F1CC, FPCC, TAB summary, declarations, curriculum mapping, curriculum progress rating, uploaded documents attached to forms, reflections and career planning forms marked as 'private'.

This functionality is available to all foundation and NTG doctors using Horus.

1. Portfolio main menu > Download portfolio

2. The "Portfolio downloads" page you land on will show any previous downloads you've requested. To request a new download, select the "Start new download" button on right, just under your orange 'rotation' button.

3. Read the guidance on the page.

4. Select from the list the form types you want included in your download. Note that if you select a form type under which you do not have any complete forms, the "Total forms selected" counter will not change.

5. Select "Start Download".

6. Wait 5-10 minutes, then refresh the page (or just navigate away from the page and come back later). You will see your new download in the list. During quiet times of the day a download will take under 5 minutes. Please allow longer during peak hours.

7. Select "Download PDF"

8. Read the information in the pop up box and select the button to continue.

November 2018: The download functionality is new. Although we have made every effort to test this, you should check the contents of your download and contact our Helpdesk if anything doesn't look right.

We will refine and further develop this functionality over the next few months.

External documents

How do I upload an external document to my Horus account?

External documents (for example, presentations, projects, audits, screenshots, certificates) can be uploaded to Horus - by foundation doctors only - in the following way:

1. Forms (start new)

2. Scroll down the page to the "Mandatory forms for each year" or "Additional Achievement" section

3. Select the form that best describes the type of document you want to upload- External documents can be uploaded to the QI form, the mandatory certificate form and any of the forms in the "Additional Achievement" section.

4. Give the form an appropriately descriptive title

5. Upload your external document(s)

Tips:Convert documents to pdf to make it easier for others reviewing your portfolio (and to reduce the file size).Maximum size per file is 4MB for PDFs and 1MB for other documents - compress files to save space. The following file types are accepted: .pdf, .png, .jpg, .gif, .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx. File names can be a maximum of 75 characters.

You can upload as many files as you want to a form, but they must each be less than 1MB (or 4MB if pdf).

you can upload up to 5 files / 5MB at a time to a Horus form (Additional Achievement, QI or Mandatory Certificate) - you can keep saving and adding more files though

there is no limit to the number of external documents you can upload to your Horus account

You should compress files to make them as small as possible. The easiest way to do this is to convert files to "minimum size" pdf (most computers will have the option to "print to pdf" to do this). You can also take screenshots of documents and/or upload documents in smaller sections (e.g. 1 or 2 pages at a time), depending on their size.

What should I do if I get an error when trying to upload an external document?

We are receiving a small number of reports of documents failing our file-type checks. The reason tends to be unique for each affected file, although in a few recent cases the issue was caused by the use of an older version of Office for Mac. When we re-saved that file on the latest version of Office on Windows 10, it uploaded successfully.

If you get an error when trying to upload an external document, please try the following before trying to upload the file again: